Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Kenneth Williams, Denis Ménochet, Ariane Labed, and more.
Directed by: Justin Kurzel Screenplay by: Michael Lesslie, Adam Cooper, and Bill Collage Based on the Video Game Series Created by: Patrick Désilets, Corey May, and Jade Raymond Music by: Jed Kurzel Cinematography by: Adam Arkapaw
Premise: Cal Lynch was sentenced to death for killing a pimp. Except instead of dying, he finds himself in Spain rather than Texas. Due to his DNA, he's been picked up for a research program. One that taps into his genetic memory. The Institute is using this research not only to study violent behavior but also to find clues as to the whereabouts of the Apple of Eden. A prize that has been pursued by the Templars and the Assassin's Creed for centuries. The stakes are higher than Cal would ever guess. (Rated PG-13)
Review:
1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Michael Fasbender does a great job with the double role of Cal and his 14th-century ancestor Aguilar. The two characters are polarized in different directions. It's fun to see the two figuratively and literally face off against each other and what drives them. Marion Cotillard as Sofia was also an interesting character. She's a brilliant scientist, yet is mostly blind as to what her research is being used for and her father's real goals. Jeremy Irons is masterful as ever. A charismatic man with giant agendas who doesn't care who and what he uses to achieve his goals.
2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of lovely and subtle touches from the special effect's team. In the game, the eagle is a symbol of the Assassin's Creed (since it is a bird of prey) and is used in several sequences. For the film, they expanded on this and used the eagle in both the present and the past. I thought it made for a beautiful tie between the two men and a nice sprinkle of mysticism besides.
The recreations of the ancient cities were wonderful. They even made sure to add in the towers and a lot of the look and feel of the original game.
The concept of the Animus, a virtual reality machine used to project the genetic memory of the subject, was altered somewhat to make it more cinematic. Still, I thought it was great! The 3D visual representations as seen by the doctor and techs gave everything a ghostly, haunting quality, while for Cal being in the past was solid reality.
3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: You get a little backstory on Cal, which serves to help the audience understand him. It's also used to set up some reveals further on. In general, I felt the plot was pretty straight forward with few surprises. That might also be because I know a little about the franchise. (Got to play the original game years ago - though I didn't get far. The baud rate on the main character's white room at the institute was low. So it would make me very dizzy, even though no one was moving!)
Some neat explorations of free will, violence, even faith. There's even some fun mysticism thrown in for flavor. Magic, technology, God, the audience is left to draw their own conclusions.
4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: The film has a lot of cool CGI and regular stunt work. Watching the assassins run through the old streets and roofs of Madrid was a lot of fun. Lots of hand-to-hand combat.
5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film was shot in the UK, Malta, and Spain. The flavors of the locations come through in both the past and present. The cinematography throughout was excellent, taking total advantage of the sites. Several scenes are from just behind a flying eagle, and they were gorgeous.
One neat section went from a painting depicting a scene in 1492 to later diving into the location back in time. Lovely!
Conclusion: "Assassin's Creed" is a fun action film with some history and mysticism thrown in for flavor. While not exactly like the game, it keeps the most important points and makes for a satisfying ride.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)
